This is my first post on this fourm. It looks like a great support community and I'm glad to be here! I don't own an XL1 series camcorder yet but I am planning on purchasing one in the next few months.

How would you guys rate the 3X wide angle Canon lens? Is it difficult to get/hold focus? Are there limitations built in that are similar to the standard 16X II auto-zoom?

I know I want the 16X manual servo lens (tedious adjustments and all) for its greater user control over the standard lens. Are there any wide angle full-manual capable lenses available for the XL1?

screw-on lens adapters seem like the only 2nd option. Can you use an additional wide-angle converter on the 3X lens for an even more aggressive view?

Using my Canon EOS lenses for anything other than long-distance shots is out of the question with the x7.2 focal length conversion.

I looked up that Watchdog article on lens options the other day but I didn't think the Fujinon 12x wide lens went anything beyond a non-useable possibility.

If Optex, Century Optics or Fujinon itself were to release an XL1 adapter (and servo remount) I'd put this lens on my list. I do not have the knowledge or experience necessary, however, to mess with optical mounts.

So I guess at this point my best lens choices upon purchase of my XL1S will be:

I'm currently opting for (but have not purchased yet) the 16x Manual, and using that as my base for lense application. So, instead of buying a 3x wide as well, I'm looking at the Century Optics wide angle attachments. I thought I'd take advantage of the 16x Manual's stationary head for various applications.

Andrew,
I have the 3x lens and really believe it's an excellent value and very useful. It's worth saving up for if your budget is tight.

Failing that, although I've not used the Century .7x adapter I assume it's of good quality. Century has a very good reputation for optical manufacturing.

Off hand, the caveat that comes to mind is one of weight. The adapter will add 720g of additional weight to the already-hefty 920g 16x manual servo lens, giving the assembly a total weight of just over 3.6 lbs. What's more, that additional weight will be at the end of the 16x lens, the point of greatest moment-arm on an already nose-heavy camera. That configuration will make the camera even more uncomfortable and unsteady for handheld shooting, a consideration that may be particularly acute since the 16x offers no image stabilization.

The other issue that comes to mind is the adapter's apparent lack of a hood or even a fitting for a hood. (I say "apparent" based on the photgraph of the product on Century's site.) Wide-angle shots are especially susceptible to off-angle lens flare.

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The 3x wide-angle has always seemed a bit expensive to me, loosing the Steadyshot feature and not going particually wide either. Optex make two add-on single elements, but they're spherical and add lots of barrel distortion (bad). Same goes for all of the common zoom-through converters - a cheap way of doing it, but too much distortion for my liking.

Best to aim for an aspheric like the Bolex Aspheron (made for 16mm film). This can be used on the 3x and will dramatically shorten the focal length.